WHEN JURGEN KLOPP has needed to inspire his teams, he has turned to two great sporting heavyweights. Steven Gerrard and Rocky Balboa.

Jurgen Klopp hopes to use Rocky and Steven Gerrard to inspire his players and win the Europa League

The Liverpool boss was moved by his current club's greatest European night long before he arrived at Anfield in October.

Now he could lead them to their first continental trophy since the 2005 Champions League Final after staging Liverpool's most famous comeback since Gerrard delivered the miracle of Istanbul.

Klopp could focus on the second half, when his team scored four goals to beat Borussia Dortmund on their way to Wednesday's Europa League Final against Sevilla. Instead, he is still marvelling at how their predecessors fought back to shock AC Milan 11 years ago.

"Being 3-0 down and coming back was maybe the biggest show of character in football history," he said. "To be 3-0 down, that kills dreams.

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''I have a lot of things in my life that help me to stay in the race, or to stay confident in the most difficult situations, but for sure this was another one. I've used this a few times in one meeting (team talk) or another. But I've used Rocky Balboa a lot of times as well."

Sylvester Stallone's fictional boxer also showed the never-say-die spirit Klopp wants in his teams. Rocky is a favourite film of his, one he has seen 20 times. When he was Dortmund boss, he mentioned the fighter to motivate his side to land a knockout blow on German football's superpower.

"I had a whole meeting before the Bayern Munich game with Dortmund," he recalled. "I start with Ivan Drago and Rocky Balboa, and I am looking out at dead eyes. So I said, 'Sorry. Stop. Who knows Rocky Balboa?' And only two hands went up. They were too young. So I can't use it any more."

Forty-year-old films may be too old but a 70-year-old show tune is a constant in his career. The Anfield anthem was the soundtrack at Klopp's old clubs.

"In Germany, they sing it at two stadiums, Mainz and Dortmund," he said. "I don't think it was coincidence, but another lucky decision in my life. Two clubs in Germany, 20,000 fans, 80,000 and next year 54,000 (at Anfield), all singing You'll Never Walk Alone. Maybe that's the story of my life. I never wanted to walk alone. It's a big honour."

Klopp's captain, Jordan Henderson, is set to make his comeback in today's trip to West Bromwich Albion.

The midfielder has made a rapid recovery from his knee injury and should make his first appearance for five weeks in what will otherwise be a weakened team.

The England international missed the semi-final win over Villarreal but played in the stirring home victories against Manchester United and Dortmund and believes Liverpool have made the much-derided Europa League sexy again.

"You could say that," Henderson said. "The type of football we're playing, the way that we're playing has been very good. I'm sure a lot more people have been watching."

Meanwhile, West Brom boss Tony Pulis has hailed skipper Darren Fletcher as the midfielder looks to complete his ever-present record.

The 32-year-old has started every league game for the Baggies this season, having been struck down with the career-threatening chronic bowel disease ulcerative colitis in 2011. "Fletcher's played 37 (league) games this season, which is fantastic,"Pulis said. "He's been my player of the year by a country mile. He's embraced the club and everything that goes with it, he's been a real ambassador."